I knew this was inevitable in our city. The media will point out that Malkin is in a slump, but they will not bother pointing the finger at others. Case in point, Molinari's article this morning in the PG.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09357/1022969-61.stm

A few questions I have been pondering all season long...

1) Malkin is playing with a third liner at best in Pascal Dupuis and a nonentity in Ruslan Fedotenko on a nightly basis. What do people expect to happen? Let me guess, turn dog **** into gold. Afterall, "Lemieux did it". That's not getting old.

2) Then there is the amount of penalties Malkin has taken this year. Maybe, just maybe that stems from the frustration of having to play with a lack of talent on his wings? Just a guess on my part.

Perhaps to give Malkin a jump, he and left winger Ruslan Fedotenko got a new linemate against the Devils when Tyler Kennedy replaced Pascal Dupuis on the right side. Kennedy practiced there yesterday.

If anything, I would bring Staal up to the second line and have Talbot center the third. Bylsma has already chosen to break up that third line, so I really don't see the big deal. It seems like every time Staal is put on Malkin's line they connect and produce.

Whatever. Eitherway, Malkin needs some type of spark on that line or the local media can spew out half-ass articles every week pondering why Malkin is not producing and appears to be frustrated out there. Give the kid some talent and see what happens.

D Rock

12-23-2009, 02:27 PM

why isn't Talbot back up on the 2nd line? It seemed to work pretty well last year.

And I'm not expert on hockey lineups, but why not try throwing Rupp in there too. At least he has been scoring this year.

That would put Dupuis and Feds with Adams. It would pretty much just be a wholesale change of 4th and 2nd line wingers, but they seem pretty interchangeable to me.

Pittsburgh

12-23-2009, 05:56 PM

First, let me just say that I will take any changes to that second line at his point in order to help out Malkin...lol.

why isn't Talbot back up on the 2nd line?

This is just a guess on my part, but maybe Bylsma is waiting for Talbot to get back to his pre-injury level of play? From what I've seen of Talbot since his return, he is not bringing the same intensity and grit that he normally brings to the table. I'm not trying to kid myself, I do not consider Talbot a top six forward. This is a guy who has never topped thirteen goals in a year, but I expect more out of him than what I've witnessed over his last fourteen games.

On that note, I did find it odd that Bylsma was quick to bench Talbot after being off for months and missing camp, yet he had no problem keeping Fedotenko in there while he was on his thirteen game scoreless streak and producing only one goal over eighteen games at the time. Frankly, I'm starting to wonder if Fedotenko has photographs of Bylsma in the shower. It reminds of the relationship between Therrien and Ouellet.

That would put Dupuis and Feds with Adams.

I'm sort of hesitant to see Fedotenko on that fourth line only because Fedotenko is not a fourth line player. I do not recall the last time I witnessed Fedotenko throw a check or bring any type of physicality to the table. He's horrible on the side boards fighting for pucks. The fourth line the way it is now does a great job of keeping the puck in the oppositions end and cycling.

Back to Rupp real quick, I would love to see him in front of the net on the first power play unit instead of Kunitz and I'm hearing that Malkin was on a line with Kunitz and Guerin during this morning's practice. We may see some drastic changes to the top two lines tonight.

D Rock

12-23-2009, 06:07 PM

What I was thinking by switching the 4th and 2nd liners was more that although Feds doesn't really grind at all, does it really matter which line he is not grinding on?

At least give Malking the two guys of the 4 most likely to score is what I was looking at. But that could fatally lead to a useless 4th line if Malkin is the only thing making Feds and Dupuis look salvageable. Well, more so just Feds, Dupuis is useful.

I'm excited to maybe see some new lines tonight. Yeah, the Pens are scoring and winning plenty, but it seems like there is still a good bit left out on the table to be had.

Does anyone think this would this be a successful lineup???

Guerin Crosby Kunitz (I just don't really know who else to put up here, but Kunitz needs to start scoring fo reals. Kennedy is the one that might be most Kunitz-like in my mind)

Talbot Malkin Rupp

Cooke Stall Kennedy

Dupuis Adams [Someone new]

Is that someone new a Baby Pen right now or someone that will be brought in? I think all the other pieces are in place.

Pittsburgh

12-24-2009, 09:50 AM

And this is what happens when Malkin has at least some talent on his line...